Optically anisotropic bodies such as retardation films and polarizing plates used in liquid crystal displays can be produced by applying a solution containing a polymerizable liquid crystal material onto a substrate subjected to a rubbing treatment or a substrate having a photo-alignment film formed thereon, drying a solvent, and then performing polymerization using ultraviolet rays or heat. Regarding retardation films, the wavelength dispersion of the birefringence index (Δn) needs to be decreased or reversed in order to improve the viewing angle of liquid crystal displays. To realize such characteristics, a reverse dispersion-type polymerizable liquid crystal compound has been developed (e.g., PTL 1). Herein, the wavelength λ of incident light on a retardation film is illustrated on the horizontal axis and the birefringence index (Δn=refractive index ne for extraordinary ray−refractive index no for ordinary ray) of the retardation film is illustrated on the vertical axis. When the slope of a graph obtained by plotting the birefringence index against the wavelength is positive (diagonally upward to the right), it is generally said that the wavelength dispersion of the birefringence index is “reverse” or the polymerizable liquid crystal compound constituting the retardation film is a reverse dispersion-type polymerizable liquid crystal compound.